Key Stats Founded: December 29, 1967, in Seoul, South Korea 2024 Revenue: 175.23 trillion KRW ($127.24 billion USD) Employees: Approximately 120,000 worldwide Market Cap: $90 billion USD (January 2026) Global Rank: Third-largest carmaker by production volume Hyundai Motor Company is a South Korean multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Seoul. The company produces passenger cars, SUVs, commercial vehicles, and electric vehicles sold through 5,000 dealerships in 193 countries worldwide. Hyundai operates the second-largest automobile manufacturing facility in the world at its Ulsan plant, with an annual production capacity of 1.6 million units. The company owns a 33.88 percent stake in Kia…
Author: Darius
Darius
I've spent over a decade researching and documenting the stories behind the world's most influential companies. What started as a personal fascination with how businesses evolve from small startups to global giants turned into CompaniesHistory.com—a platform dedicated to making corporate history accessible to everyone.
Key Stats Founded in 1892 through merger of Edison General Electric and Thomson-Houston Electric One of original 12 companies listed on Dow Jones Industrial Average in 1896 Peak market capitalization reached nearly $600 billion in 2000 Split into three independent companies: GE Healthcare (2023), GE Vernova (2024), and GE Aerospace (2024) Generated $76.6 billion in revenue in 2022 before separation General Electric was an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company operated in multiple sectors including aerospace, energy, healthcare, transportation, and finance. Founded by Thomas Edison, General Electric became one of America’s most iconic…
Chase history, profile and corporate video Chase’s roots trace back to the 18th century when it was founded under the name of the Bank of the Manhattan Company. Today it serves as the U.S. consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase. The brand services one of six Americans through its 5,600 branches, seven million home loans and 64 million credit cards. It ranked as the No. 1 Small Business Association lender three straight years.” “Key mergers that shaped who JPMorgan Chase is today: In 1991, Manufacturers Hanover Corp. merged with Chemical Banking Corp., under the name of Chemical Banking Corp.,…
IKEA history, profile and history video IKEA was founded in Sweden in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad, whose fortune is estimated at $3.3 billion. Kampard’s fortune peaked at $33 billion, but he has transferred the vast majority of his economic stake in the retailer to his philanthropic foundations. IKEA operates in 26 countries, but has 227 of its 298 existing stores in Europe. It sells 9,500 products and its stores received 690 million store visits last year.” “IKEA History How it all began in Canada 1976 – IKEA Richmond opens 1977 – IKEA North York opens 1978 – IKEA Edmonton opens 1979 – IKEA Calgary opens …
Fortum Oyj history, company profile (overview) and corporate video Fortum Oyj is a state-owned energy company headquartered in Espoo, Finland. HISTORY Fortum was founded in 1998 through the merger of the Finnish state-owned power and heat company IVO (Imatran Voima Oy) and Neste Oy, the Finnish national oil company. However, Fortum’s origins date back to 1932 when Imatran Voima, Fortum’s predecessor, was founded to operate the Imatrankoski hydroelectric power plant in Imatra. Imatran Voima acquired and built a number of other power plants, such as the largest hydroelectric power plants along the Oulujoki river, Inkoo and Naantali coal-fired power plants,…
Formosa Plastics Corporation history, company profile (overview) and corporate video Formosa Plastics Corporation (台灣塑膠公司; lit. “Taiwan Plastics Company”) is a chemical company headquartered in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. It is a supplier of plastic resins and petrochemicals. HISTORY Formosa Plastics Corporation (FPC) was founded in 1954 with a US$ 798,000 loan from United States aid agencies. In 1957, the first PVC plant was constructed in Kaohsiung. In 1994, FPC formed the Formosa Transrail to operate the rail fleet. In 1996, Formosa Plastics established Mailiao Auto Electric Co., Ltd. as a joint venture with Formosa Petrochemical, Nanya,…
Key Stats 21,000+ Total Employees £5.4B Annual Income (2024) £169.50 TV Licence Fee (2024) 103 Years Years of Operation 55% BBC One Weekly Reach The British Broadcasting Corporation stands as the world’s oldest and largest national broadcaster by employee count and stature. Established in 1922 and operating under Royal Charter since 1927, the BBC serves as a public service broadcaster funded primarily through television licence fees paid by UK households. The corporation operates multiple television channels, radio stations, and digital platforms including BBC iPlayer, reaching audiences both domestically and internationally through BBC World Service. With over 21,000 employees, the BBC…
Founded: 1949 in Leeds, England (as Associated Dairies and Farm Stores Ltd) 2023 Revenue: £24.6 billion (including fuel) Employees: Approximately 140,000 UK Market Share: 11.4% (December 2025) Store Count: Over 1,000 locations across the United Kingdom Asda Stores Ltd operates as one of the United Kingdom’s largest supermarket chains. The company is headquartered in Leeds, England, where it has maintained its base since its founding. Asda sells groceries, clothing under the George brand, home products, and general merchandise. The retailer operates multiple store formats including superstores, supermarkets, convenience stores under the Asda Express banner, and petrol stations. TDR Capital currently…
YP Holdings history, company profile (overview) and corporate video YP Holdings is an online advertising company headquartered in Tucker, Georgia, United States. HISTORY The company was founded in 2012 to take over the directory and online advertising businesses from AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive divisions of AT&T. AT&T sold 53% of AT&T Advertising Solutions to Cerberus Capital Management and retained 47% of the new entity. PRODUCTS Digital Advertising;Print Directories;Web Design;Listing Management;Video Creation;Local Search Ads;SEO;SEM;Direct Marketing;Display Marketing. SUBSIDIARIES YP.com LLC;YP Marketing Solutions LLC. With more than 70 employees, YP Holdings is considered one of the Largest Public…
Key Stats Founded: 1967 (as Waremart) Headquarters: Boise, Idaho, USA Ownership: Majority Employee-Owned (ESOP) Employees: Over 20,000 Stores: 142+ locations (as of 2025) Revenue: $9.8 billion (2024) Forbes Ranking: #53 on America’s Largest Private Companies (November 2024) WinCo Foods, Inc. is a privately held, majority employee-owned supermarket chain based in Boise, Idaho. The company operates warehouse-style grocery stores across ten states: Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington. Founded in 1967 as Waremart, the company rebranded to WinCo Foods in 1999, with the name representing “Winning Company.” WinCo distinguishes itself through a no-frills approach that prioritizes…